Sending a follow up email after submitting a support ticket is crucial to ensuring your issue gets resolved in a timely manner. A good follow up email should provide additional details, gently remind the recipient to take action, and thank them for their time and assistance. Here are some tips on how to write an effective follow up email for a ticket:
Recap the Initial Ticket
Briefly summarize your original request in 1-2 sentences. This helps remind the recipient about your issue and provides context. For example:
“Last Tuesday I submitted ticket #12345 regarding an error message I’m receiving when trying to upload files to the platform.”
Provide New Information
Include any additional details or updates not mentioned in your original ticket. For example, you may have tried troubleshooting steps since submitting the ticket. Mention if the issue is still occurring or if you have uncovered new information. For example:
“I tried uploading smaller file sizes as you suggested, but continued to get the same error message. I also noticed this only happens when uploading PDF files, not other file types like JPEGs.”
Ask Direct Questions
Ask any follow up questions needed to move the process forward. Make sure to be direct but polite. For example:
“Could you clarify what the next steps are for resolving this upload error? Do I need to provide any additional diagnostics or data?”
Suggest Next Steps
You can propose actions to help resolve the issue faster. For example:
“Would it be helpful if I captured a screenshot the next time the error message appears? Please let me know if there is anything else I can provide on my end.”
Express Appreciation
Show gratitude to the recipient for assisting you. For example:
“Thank you for looking into this issue and providing suggestions so far. I appreciate you taking the time to help resolve this problem.”
Follow Up Politely
Politely request follow up if you have not heard back within a reasonable timeframe. For example:
“I wanted to follow up on ticket #12345 regarding the file upload error, as I have not yet heard back about next steps. Please let me know if you need any additional information from me. I’m happy to help get this issue resolved.”
Proofread Carefully
Before sending your follow up email, be sure to carefully proofread for any spelling, grammar, or formatting issues. Also double check that you provided the correct ticket number.
Sample Follow Up Email
Here is an example follow up email for a support ticket:
Subject: Follow Up – Ticket #12345 File Upload Error
Dear [name],
I wanted to follow up on ticket #12345 I submitted last Tuesday regarding the error message I receive when trying to upload PDF files to the platform. As I mentioned previously, I receive an “Upload Failed” message any time I try to upload a PDF, but other file types like JPEGs upload successfully.
After your last suggestion, I tried reducing the size of my PDFs before uploading, but am still running into the same error. I also tested uploading on both my laptop and mobile device’s browsers, but encountered the error on both.
Do you have any other recommendations on how I can get these PDFs to upload? Is there a maximum file size limit for PDF uploads that I may be exceeding?
Please let me know if any additional information from me would be helpful in resolving this issue. I’m happy to provide any screenshots, error logs, or other diagnostics. Thank you again for your time looking into this.
Best regards,
[Your name]
Follow Up Timing
When deciding how long to wait before sending a follow up, consider the urgency and severity of your ticket. Follow up more quickly for high priority issues. Some general guidelines on follow up timing:
- Low priority task: Wait at least 2-3 business days
- Medium priority task: Wait at least 1-2 business days
- High priority task: Follow up the same day or next business day
If you still have not received a response after your follow up, you may want to try escalating the ticket to a manager. Explain that you have followed up multiple times but have not received a response. Keep the tone polite and understanding, but be firm that you need the issue addressed.
Following Up on Multiple Tickets
If you have several open tickets you are waiting on responses for, you can save time by summarizing them in a single follow up email rather than one for each ticket. For example:
Subject: Follow up on Open Tickets – #12345, #98765, #55678
Hello [name],
I wanted to check on the status of a few open support tickets I have filed over the past two weeks:
- #12345 – File upload error for PDFs
- #98765 – Incorrect billing charge last month
- #55678 – Requested increase in API call limit
Could you provide an update on if these issues require any additional information from me? Please let me know the next steps or if you need any clarification on any of these tickets.
Thank you for your help resolving these support issues!
Best,
[Your name]
When Follow Up Isn’t Necessary
While following up is often advised, there are some cases where sending a follow up may not be beneficial or needed:
- If it has only been a day or two since your initial request
- If the ticket is marked as closed or resolved in the system
- If you receive an automated email that your ticket has been received and is in the queue
- If the recipient has communicated that it may take an extended time to investigate and resolve the issue
Use your best judgment based on the severity of your issue and response times. When in doubt, it never hurts to send a short, polite follow up.
Handling Lack of Response
If you have followed up multiple times with no response, here are some options to consider:
- Check if there are other ways to contact support such as live chat or phone
- Contact a manager, explain the situation politely, and request they prioritize your ticket
- Look up support team members on LinkedIn and reach out directly if possible
- Post on the company’s social media pages and tag their account politely asking for help
- As a last resort, file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
The vast majority of the time, following up patiently will get you a response. But if all else fails, you may need to be creative or escalate the situation to get your issue addressed.
Following Up by Phone/In-Person
Sometimes a phone call or in-person visit is a more effective way to follow up, especially for urgent or complex issues. When contacting someone directly:
- Be sure to identify yourself and briefly explain why you are contacting them
- Remain calm and friendly in tone – the goal is to get help resolving your issue
- Take notes on any new information or next steps discussed
- Thank them for their time and assistance
- Follow up with an email summarizing the discussion
However, keep in mind that for most support tickets submitted online, replying via email is preferred to keep everything documented. Only reach out directly when coordination over the phone or in-person would significantly help speed resolution.
Following Up with Contractors/Freelancers
Following up with freelancers or contractors requires extra care, as you often have a repeated business relationship. Some best practices include:
- Build rapport and keep communications friendly to maintain the relationship
- Ask how they prefer to be contacted (call, email, text, messaging platform, etc)
- Clarify expected timelines and deadlines from the beginning
- Frame follow ups from a collaborative point of view e.g. “Just wanted to touch base together on this”
- If issues arise, discuss privately and tactfully to avoid damaging the relationship
With contractors and freelancers, you want to follow up in a way that holds them accountable but also makes them want to keep working with you long-term.
Following Up After Job Interviews
Following up after a job interview requires care and tact. Some tips:
- Thank the interviewer(s) sincerely for their time
- Briefly reiterate your interest and qualifications for the role
- Try to personalize the follow up to reference specific conversations from the interview
- Keep it brief – 1-2 paragraphs at most
- Wait 2-4 days before following up, to allow time for internal discussions
- Don’t overdo follow ups – one email or call is sufficient in most cases
The goal is to be memorable and reaffirm your interest, without badgering the employer. Write thoughtfully and wait patiently.
Keys to Effective Follow Up
Some core principles for writing effective follow up communications:
- Be concise – Get to the point quickly and concisely.
- Add value – Provide new information or make helpful suggestions.
- Show appreciation – Express thanks for their time and assistance.
- Be patient – Allow reasonable time for a response before following up.
- Be persistent – Keep politely following up until your issue is resolved.
- Watch tone – Sound friendly but focused on resolution.
Email Templates
Email templates can streamline following up on multiple open tickets or common issues. Create templates with subject lines, basic language, and key details customized for each scenario.
Some common situations where templates are useful:
- New feature request
- Billing dispute
- Account access issue
- Report a bug
- Complaint about service
Then customize each template slightly before sending. Using templates allows responding swiftly while still personalizing key details.
Automated Follow Up
Some support software allows setting up automated follow up emails based on certain triggers. This can be useful for:
- Sending confirmation when a new ticket is received
- Following up if a ticket sits idle for a set timeframe
- Requesting customer feedback once a ticket is marked resolved
- Closing the loop if no response after a few follow ups
Carefully evaluate if automation makes sense based on your support volume and typical resolution timeframes. Personal follow up is best for complex or urgent issues.
Metrics on Follow Up effectiveness
It can be helpful to analyze metrics to understand follow up effectiveness over time. Examples of data to review:
- Average response time to first follow up request
- Number of follow ups sent per ticket
- Time to resolution after sending follow up
- Customer satisfaction scores when following up
Tracking quantitative data along with customer feedback can help optimize follow up processes and templates.
Conclusion
Following up thoughtfully and persistently is crucial to ensuring support tickets get a timely resolution. Tactful, value-driven follow up emails can help unblock issues, strengthen relationships, and improve customer satisfaction. Just be sure to walk the line between following up firmly and following up annoyingly! With practice and analysis, you can continually refine your follow up process over time.